What are the Highest Paying Jobs in the Field of Sustainability?

Individuals with an interest in improving the environment can find high paying sustainability jobs. Sustainability careers have been increasing steadily the past decade as more emphasis is being put on improving and saving the environment whether it’s through sustainable businesses, clean energy, green buildings or some other form of clean technology. The field of sustainability offers a wide range of different jobs for those interested in helping the environment. Here are some of the best paying jobs in the field of sustainability.

See our ranking of 20 Affordable Colleges Offering Degrees Online for Sustainability Jobs.

Chief Sustainability Executives

high paying environmental jobs

Chief sustainability officers or executives are in charge of keeping everything green by creating environmentally sustainable ways of doing business while also saving their company money. Their duties might include presenting and selling ideas on the greenest ways to do business, creating training programs for employees or implementing company-wide recycling. They need to be familiar with all departments of the company and know how to effectively communicate with them. They also need to be able to sell the idea that going green not only helps the environment but is also best for the company. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that chief executives overall earned a median annual wage of $183,270 as of May 2017.

Natural Science Managers

Natural science managers, who are both managers and scientists, deal with sustainability challenges and focus on fixing problems that may arise. The natural science manager may oversee the work of atmospheric scientists, chemists, physicists and other scientists who may be all working on a large project. They also work with top executives in setting goals for the company while also providing technical assistance to the other scientists. Natural science managers are also in charge of scientific research projects. Natural science managers earned a median annual wage of $118,970 according to a BLS wage report in 2017.

General and Operations Managers

While the chief sustainability officer is the one who determines environmentally sustainable ways of doing business, the general and operations manager is the one who puts these methods to work in day-to-day operations. This individual’s responsibilities may include pollution prevention, energy and water conservation, waste minimization and recycling, financial efficiency and process production. General and operations managers earned an average annual wage of $100,410 as of a May 2017 report by the bureau.

Environmental Engineers

Environmental engineers combine the principles of engineering into the process of sustainability. Using their knowledge of chemistry and biology, they’re able to create solutions to environmental problems. Environmental engineers deal with recycling, air and water pollution control, sewage and waste disposal, stormwater management and similar public health issues. Another part of their job is coming up with new ways to turn waste products into usable products. An example might be figuring out how to turn an old plastic juice bottle into a coat or park bench. The BLS reports that environmental engineers earned a median annual wage of $86,800 as of May 2017.

Working in the field of sustainability can be a rewarding career because there is nothing greater than providing a clean area for our families and those to come after us. Another positive feature of this field is that you can earn a good living while saving the planet. An individual dedicated to keeping our earth green can find some high paying sustainability jobs while also working in a rewarding field.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics